Distemper

The spay-neuter program at Orange County's Animal Services building has been suspended after seven confirmed cases of dog distemper, according to WFTV.com. The public spay-neuter clinic is not scheduled to re-open until April 5 in an effort to prevent exposure to other animals, the Web site said. To read the story, click here.

Q: What should we do with our potty-mouthed bird? Bingo is a 16-year-old Amazon parrot. He's a wonderful companion to our entire family. We also have a 14-year-old son who's started using bad language. We were tipped off when Bingo began to talk like a drunken sailor. We can deal with our son, but how do we deal with a foul-mouthed bird? -- S.J., Stillwater, OK A; "The effective way to eliminate those bad words is that from now on, no humans reinforce Bingo's behavior," says certified parrot behavior consultant Liz Wilson, of St. Simon's, GA. "That means absolutely no reaction, no gasping, laughing or scolding.

So many dog owners are responding to the SPCA of Central Florida's offer of free canine-distemper vaccines that the service will continue through Sunday at the Orlando shelter. The vaccines are available to dogs aged 7 weeks or older from 8 to 10 a.m. daily near the entrance at 2727 Conroy Road. Since the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals began the offer Saturday, it has vaccinated an average of 120 dogs a day. An outbreak of the distemper caused the SPCA to euthanize 40 dogs July 26.

Q: My 6-year-old Maltese seems pretty healthy to me, but my veterinarian still insists that the dog get vaccines every year. A holistic vet told me that since dogs just stay home and walk around the block, in reality, vaccines aren't needed every year. He went on to say that veterinarians give the injections, knowing this is a risk to pets' health, so they can make money. Do you believe these yearly vaccines are necessary? -- R.R., Cyberspace A: "Vaccines serve a real purpose.

The distemper death of an endangered red panda has zoo officials fearful that an animal carrying the disease may be roaming the area. Mike, one of only 115 red pandas in North America, died March 13 at Potter Park Zoo. The cause of death was confirmed last week. Mike was vaccinated for distemper before coming to the zoo in July but apparently became infected in late January or early February. His brother, Vance, on loan from the National Zoo in Washington, has experienced no symptoms of the illness.

The Wildlife Waystation for unwanted and abused lions, leopards and other animals has ended its quarantine after canine distemper killed 17 big cats at the facility in Angeles National Forest. The quarantine was set in December after African and Asian cats showed symptoms of the virus usually limited to dogs, said Martine Colette, owner of the private zoo supported by donations. How or why the disease jumped species isn't known.

About 40 dogs were euthanized at an Orlando shelter after some were found to have distemper, a deadly virus with no cure. Veterinarians for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Central Florida became alarmed Friday after animals showed signs of the disease, said spokesman Jake White. That location on Conroy Road near Mall at Millenia was closed temporarily Saturday. "We never want to do this again," White said. In the aftermath, the shelter is offering free distemper vaccinations from 8 to 10 a.m. Aug. 1-5. The normal cost is $22. Receiving at the Orlando location will reopen this coming Friday, as will cat adoption.

By Mike Berry And Craig Quintana Of The Sentinel Staff, October 22, 1989

Volusia County animal control officials are watching their animals for any signs of distemper, a highly contagious viral infection that caused a Seminole County shelter to destroy 22 dogs last week.Although there appears to have been no outbreak of the disease in Volusia, officials aren't taking any chances. In the past month, the Halifax Humane Society destroyed a puppy with distemper and the West Volusia Humane Society destroyed a litter of puppies who may have contracted the disease.''Unlike Seminole, we haven't had a problem yet,'' said Nick Gilman, the Halifax society's care center supervisor.

An outbreak of distemper forced the Humane Society of Seminole County to destroy its 22 dogs Thursday. And the organization will not accept or give out any dogs for about a month to allow the virus to clear.''It was very, very hard on the employees,'' said Dr. Joseph Vaughan, the veterinarian who administered the fatal injections. ''Several left crying.''The humane society took in five dogs in the past month that were diagnosed with distemper, an extremely contagious viral disease, executive director Trish Scott said.

A disease that usually plagues dogs instead is killing exotic big cats in the Angeles National Forest, and veterinarians are baffled by its appearance and selectiveness. Canine distemper has killed 16 African lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars since August. But it hasn't affected any of the native felines - bobcats and mountain lions - in the forest's Wildlife Waystation, experts said. The 160-acre refuge was placed under quarantine, said Martine Colette, president and founder of the Waystation.

For decades, Dr. Ron Schultz has been preaching that we're over-vaccinating our pets. It seems traditional veterinary medicine has quietly but decidedly come to agree with him. The proof is in black and white -- the 2011 American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Vaccination Guidelines. One source of controversy has been how often to administer the combination vaccine for canine distemper, canine parvovirus and canine adenovirus. Not long ago, the notion of annual boosters seemed to be the recommendation given by most veterinarians, but that should no longer be the case, according to the AAHA Guidelines.

The spay-neuter program at Orange County's Animal Services building has been suspended after seven confirmed cases of dog distemper, according to WFTV.com. The public spay-neuter clinic is not scheduled to re-open until April 5 in an effort to prevent exposure to other animals, the Web site said. To read the story, click here.

So many dog owners are responding to the SPCA of Central Florida's offer of free canine-distemper vaccines that the service will continue through Sunday at the Orlando shelter. The vaccines are available to dogs aged 7 weeks or older from 8 to 10 a.m. daily near the entrance at 2727 Conroy Road. Since the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals began the offer Saturday, it has vaccinated an average of 120 dogs a day. An outbreak of the distemper caused the SPCA to euthanize 40 dogs July 26.

About 40 dogs were euthanized at an Orlando shelter after some were found to have distemper, a deadly virus with no cure. Veterinarians for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Central Florida became alarmed Friday after animals showed signs of the disease, said spokesman Jake White. That location on Conroy Road near Mall at Millenia was closed temporarily Saturday. "We never want to do this again," White said. In the aftermath, the shelter is offering free distemper vaccinations from 8 to 10 a.m. Aug. 1-5. The normal cost is $22. Receiving at the Orlando location will reopen this coming Friday, as will cat adoption.

FRANKFURT, Germany -- Doctors searching for the source of the mysterious flulike illness spreading from Asia said Tuesday that some victims appear to be infected with a virus group that causes measles and some diseases in animals. Specialists at the Institute for Medical Virology at Frankfurt University said samples from two people there resemble a paramyxovirus, the family of microbes that causes measles, mumps and canine distemper.

LONDON -- A virus that has killed thousands of seals across northern Europe has reached Britain, wildlife experts said Tuesday. The Royal Society for the Protection of Animals said examinations of five dead seals that washed up on the coast of eastern England two weeks ago indicated they had the phocine distemper virus. In 1988, an epidemic of the virus killed 18,000 common seals, half the population in northern Europe.

One month after a distemper outbreak forced the Humane Society of Seminole County to destroy 22 dogs, the shelter Saturday will once again accept and arrange new homes for dogs.After five dogs were diagnosed with distemper, the humane society decided to clear out and disinfect its kennel and office and to stop taking dogs until germs had a chance to disappear. Distemper is an extremely contagious viral disease, transmitted through airborne germs and contact.''We even sprayed the yard with bleach.

DISTEMPER FEARED. A 5-month-old puppy found May 23 with a rope cutting into its neck was put to death Thursday because of illness. The shepherd-collie mix had developed a fever and become lethargic, said Ron LeFebrve, Seminole County director of animal control. A veterinarian determined this week that the puppy was coming down with distemper, a contagious and often fatal disease. When animal control workers found the dog last month in the Midway community east of Sanford, a 4-foot-long rope had eaten into its neck and caused an infection.

ORANGE CITY - A low-cost pet vaccination clinic will be Saturday at the Orange City Fire Department on North Holly Avenue, off East Graves Avenue. The cash-only clinic - sponsored by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Appointments are not necessary. Vaccinations offered will be rabies shots at $6 each, dog distemper/parvo 7-in-1, cat distemper 5-in-1, and puppy or kitten shots at $9 each, and feline leukemia at $10 each.

DAYTONA BEACH - The Halifax Humane Society will benefit from a Holiday Extravaganza Nov. 12 at the Plaza Resort & Spa, 600 N. Atlantic Ave.The event, which begins at 6 p.m., will feature a silent auction and dinner. Members of the Bethune-Cookman Chorale Concert Glee Club will perform.A variety of items will be on the auction block to help shoppers fulfill their holiday shopping lists. Free gift wrapping will be available.Cost is $35 per person, and reservations may be made by calling Eileen Sheldon or Mary Massey at (904)